“Sometimes you just have to do things you don’t want to do – that’s just life, girl”. 

I found myself saying this to the 5-year-old I am currently living with while her mom was trying to convince her to clean her room. But she could have been saying the same thing to me. 

I subconsciously try to convince myself that there will be a time when I will just “arrive”. A time when I will have it all figured out and all my ducks in a row, and I will be doing all of the things I love all of the time and life will just be easy. I often think if I can just get past this part of life or that when x, y, and z happen, that things will be “right” or better. 

I’m smart enough to know that this isn’t reality, but my idealistic nature won’t seem to let go of the hope that there might one day be relief from the current struggles in the form of a neatly packaged life that I’ve convinced myself will come. 

The truth is, God is always working on me and my relationship with Him and with others. I want resolution now, and I want it in the way that I think is best, but in the waiting, and the meantime, and the struggles, God is working on me. 

I’ve been intrigued recently by the complexity and mystery of God’s timing. After my own blast of change and transition, a few friends shared with me some of their news of change on their horizons – all seemingly aligned with God’s will and His timing. 

Why did he choose to do it now? Why didn’t he do it sooner? Or wait until this or that happened? Or until that really important thing was in place? 

We can learn so much about timing from the history of the Israelites. They did so much waiting on the Lord, and they didn’t always do it well. They spent a lot of their time grumbling, complaining, and thinking they could make it happen on their own terms. Sometimes, their need to do it on their own caused them to miss out on the blessings God had for them in this lifetime. But when they trusted God and faithfully obeyed His commands, they split seas and rivers, conquered nations, defeated enemies, and witnessed miracles all by His power.

God orchestrates our circumstances and the happenings around us in a way that He knows is best. Sometimes he chooses to reveal those intricacies to us, and more often than not, he asks us just to trust.

Trust that we’re in the season He wants us to be in right now, even if it’s difficult. 

Trust that the new season that is ahead is already filled with His presence. 

Trust that even though x,y, and z didn’t happen yet, that He still has it under control. 

Trust that even though we do not feel equipped, God will equip us. 

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. – 2 Peter 3:9

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. – Ecclesiastes 3:11